The present invention relates generally to a grilling surface having a low constant of thermal expansion employed to cook food.
Grills or griddles are used to cook various foods, such as hamburgers. In one prior grill, the sides of the food are grilled separately. The food is placed on a flat grill portion, grilling the side of the food that contacts the flat grill portion. After that side of the food is cooked, the food is manually flipped to allow cooking the opposite side. After the food is cooked, the food is manually removed from the grill for serving.
In another prior grill, both sides of the food are grilled simultaneously. After programming the type of food into a control unit, the food is placed on a lower grill portion. A platen having an upper grill portion is then lowered over the food, positioning the food between the upper and lower grill portions and grilling the food simultaneously on both sides. After lowering the platen, the distance between the upper and lower grill portions is automatically adjusted according to the type of food which is programmed into the control unit. After a predetermined amount of time has passed, the platen raises, and the food is manually removed from the grill.
Conveyor belts that travel over a heater have also been used to grill foods. As an item of food travels over the heater on the conveyor belt, the item of food is cooked.
The material of the grilling surface is commonly stainless steel. A drawback to employing stainless steel is that as it has a high constant of thermal expansion, it tends to expand and lift from the items of food. When this occurs, the food may not be fully cooked. It would be beneficial to employ grilling surface of a material having a low constant of thermal expansion.
A grilling component employed to grill food includes a heater and a grilling surface made of a material having a low constant of thermal expansion. In one example, the grilling surface is made of Invar(trademark). Invar(trademark) is a metal allow comprised of Iron and 36% Nickel, and may include other trace elements. Invar has a low constant of thermal expansion and therefore moves and expands very little when heater. The grilling surface further includes a non-stick coating, such as Teflon(trademark).
The grilling surface can be a conveyor belt positioned around a grilling structure of the grilling component. The grilling component further includes a heater, a drive pulley, and a non-drive pulley. The drive pulley is powered by a drive motor to move the conveyor belt around the grilling structure, creating a surface that travels over the heater. As the food items travel on the conveyor belt over the heater, the food items are cooked.
These and other features of the present invention will be best understood from the following specification and drawings.